San Francisco 49ers fans certainly aren't alone in asking the "where are they now?" questions regarding former coaches and assistants.
But, given the Niners have had some pretty unique personalities on their various coaching staffs over the last 20 years or so, it might be a bit easier for the Faithful to periodically check in on former coaches to see what they're up to.
Or, at the very least, take a bit more interest when a former coach is on the move somewhere else.
However, in the case of the Los Angeles Chargers hiring San Francisco's former offensive coordinator, Mike McDaniel, after he was dismissed from the Miami Dolphins head-coaching gig, 49ers fans can't help smirking just a little bit.
Especially when they envision McDaniel's interactions with another still-beloved former Niners head coach, Jim Harbaugh.
49ers fans can't wait to see Jim Harbaugh-Mike McDaniel dynamic
It was a little shocking to see Harbaugh and the Bolts fire offensive coordinator Greg Roman at the conclusion of the season, especially considering Roman had almost exclusively served as Harbaugh's personal NFL-level coordinator, including during their years together in San Francisco between 2011 and 2014.
But, at least Harbaugh and Roman appeared to be cut from the same personality cloth: no-nonsense, smashmouth and blunt.
McDaniel is the polar opposite of Roman. And, as 49ers fans know too well, completely opposite of Harbaugh's in-your-face persona.
If you haven't seen this mock-up of how the Harbaugh-McDaniel interview likely went down, watch this below. It's hilarious:
Jim Harbaugh’s interview with Mike McDaniel for Chargers OC pic.twitter.com/x3dVwpN5Ku
— Joey (@JoeyMulinaro) January 21, 2026
Granted, the Harbaugh era with the Niners couldn't have been any more different than when McDaniel was on head coach Kyle Shanahan's staff from 2017 through 2021.
In so many ways, Harbaugh and McDaniel couldn't be any more different either.
But, if the Bolts offense suddenly finds the kind of magic it couldn't find under Roman (San Francisco might understand this, too), perhaps the odd-couple relationship between the two coaches with serious ties back to the 49ers would make plenty of sense.